Means for applying and regulating pressures



April 4, 1939. G. A. MOORE MEANS FOR APPLYING AND REGULATING PRESSURES Filed March 18, i936 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 4, 1939. G. A. MOORE MEANS FOR APPLYING AND REGULATING PRESSURES Filed March 18, 1936 Patented Apr. 4, 1939 1 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFECE MEANS FOR APPLYING AND' REGULATING PRESSURES George Arlington Moore, Louisville, Ky., assignor to Humoco Corporation, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Delaware Application March 18, 1936, Serial No. 69,469

Claims. (Cl. 11346) This invention relates to pressure applying taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. l but and pressure regulating means, and more parwith the movable parts in a different position;

ticularly to means adapted to control the efiec- Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating tive pressure applied to fibrous articles, for exthe parts in still another position; and,

5 ample, for embossing or deforming the same by Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of one form of an 5 controlling the reaction to the pressure applyembossed and scored flanged article which may ing means. be made with the apparatus of Fig. 1.

One of the objects of the present invention is In the single embodiment of the invention to provide novel pressure regulating apparatus illustrated by way of example, the novel presof the type embodying means for yieldingly and sure regulating means comprehended are shown 10 variably resisting a force. in combination with cooperating male and fe- Another object is to provide novel means foi male die members adapted for use in drawing varying the pressure exerted by one of a pair flanged articles from blanks, comprising fibrous of movable members upon the other. materials, and in producing grooves, scores or 16 Still another object is to provide novel appaother deformations in said. blanks or articles.

ratus which is so constructed that the resistance The drawing and embossing dies as shown comto movement of parts thereof may be varied in a prise a female die 5 (Fig. 2.) stationarily mountpredetermined manner in accordance with the ed in a suitable support 6 and a revolvable transdisplacement of said parts from any reference fer die 1 constituted by an Op j t e 20 position, periphery of a turret 8, the latter being adapted 20 A further object is to provide novel die apato be rotated so as to bring said opening intoratus comprising means for varying the pressure register with female die 5. If desired, suitable exerted by one die against another and controleati m a s, Such as e c heating C0 18 ling the pressure variations by the movement of y e provided in die 5 1) to heat the one of the dies. same and facilitate the forming and drawing 25 A still further object is to provide novel ap- Operations to be hereinafter described. paratus adapted for use in embossing, scoring The male die assembly through which presand/or drawing materials such, for example, as Sure s pp ed l the form illustrated, articles or blanks comprising fibrous and/or mea die member l0 adap d o be mOVed into fet m at ri ls, male die 5 and transfer die I and having a pe- 30 Angther bje t i t provide novel means ripheral outline corresponding in shape to the whereby the movement of a member may be varinner p p y of Said; female and transfer d iably resisted, said means being adjustable to alw in the embodiment shown, are Oblong t ter the curve of resistance values plotted in terms Straight pa Sides and al'euete P o s c nof positions of the member. necting said sides. The peripheral dimensions 35 The above and further objects and novel fea- Of die I are somewhat smaller than those of tures of the invention will more fully appear from female die 5 t0 Provide an annular p e 0f Su tthe following detailed description taken in conable p p r n to accommodate the fl e Ila nection with the accompanying drawings. It is of an 3111131019 i 4) p d to be formed to be expressly understood, however, that the F drawmg the margmel portion Of a blank 40 drawings are for the purpose of illustration only 9 fight angular relatlon with h Central P and are not designed as a definition of the limnon thereof i to herelnaffitera'ppeefrits of the invention, reference being primarily A stnpper (he fits mm a recess m dle m such a manner that a peripheral rib M in the gai thls latter purpose to the appended latter die projects beyond the face of said striper when thel tter' i a In the drawings, wherein like reference charp Is n housed posmon m Sald recess, as best seen in Fi 2. Male dies II] n acters refer to like parts throughout the several g3 are mounted on conceitric rods m and 3 views,

v respectively, said rods, and hence dies l0 and I3,

Fig- 1 1 a top b h partly in Section and With being adapted to be reciprocated either in uniparts broken y. illustrating One form of pson or relatively to each other by any suitable paratus embodying the present invention; means such as rotatable cams.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section and Rod Illa, as shown, is slidably supported in a with parts broken away, of a portion of the bearing l5 (Fig. 1) in the frame structure It mechanism shown in Fig. l, the section being and is adapted to be reciprocated by means of a 55 cross-head I! which is secured thereon by a nut I3 and engages identical cam grooves I9 in the web portions of a pair of gears 20. The latter are pinned to a rotatable shaft 2I and adapted to be rotated by any suitable means, such as pinions (not shown), which preferably engage the toothed peripheries of said gears. Rod I3a slidably extends through rod la and has a bifurcated member 22 secured to the end thereof, said member having a roller mounted thereon for engagement by a cam 23 which is keyed to shaft 2I for rotation therewith. A spring 24 is interposed between the inner end of member 22 and a shoulder 25 in an enlarged bore of rod Illa to hold stripper I3 in engagement with die II] and yieldingly hold the same against relative movement by cam 23.

Slidably mounted on rod Illa adjacent die I is a pressure member 26 which is provided with a flange portion 25a that extends around and slidably engages the periphery of die Ill. Flange 26a is yieldingly held in contact with the margin of blank I2 by a coil spring 2'! which is interposed between bearing I and member 26. 'The latter member may be retracted from female die 5 by die II] when the latter is withdrawn from the female die by cams I9 to permit the insertion of a blank I2 between the male die assembly and said female die (Fig. 3). Preferably, member 26 is engaged by die I0 only after said die has been completely withdrawn from the female die, thereby permitting flange 25a to engage blank I2 prior to engagement thereof by rib I4 upon the movement of the parts to the right, as viewed in the drawings. Because of the reduced size of Fig. 1, member 26, 26a is illustrated somewhat diagrammatically therein.

A footing or buffer die 28, adapted to be reciprocated through transfer die 'I and into female die 5 in sliding. engagement with the walls thereof, is provided to resist movement of die It], I3 and thus create a pressure on blank I2 and to cooperate therewith for drawing flange Ila and impressing the desired deformations in blank I2. To this end the face of die 28 has a peripheral recess 29 for receiving rib I4 of die It to form a groove and complementary rib II?) in blank I2, a wedge shaped cutting edge or knife 30 projecting from the face thereof opposite similarly shaped grooves 3| in die member IS (Fig. 2), and a plurality of ribs 32 and buttons 32' opposing similar indentations on die I3. It will be understood that additional deformations or scores may be made in blank I2, if desired, by providing the necessary ribs or cutting edges and cooperating grooves in die members I0, I3 and 28.

Die 28 as shown is mounted on a rod 33 carried by a cross-head 34. The latter is secured to and movable with a pair of sliding rods 35 (Fig. l) which are slidably supported by suitable bearings in frame It. As will be more fully pointed out hereinafter, buffer die 28 is moved during the first portion of its movement to the right from the position of Fig. 2 by die lil, IS and during the remainder of such movement by a pair of cams 36 mounted on shaft 2I for rotation therewith and adapted to engage rollers 31 mounted on bifurcated members 38 secured to the ends of rods 35. Rollers 3'! are held in engagement with cams 36 except as hereinafter pointed out, and die 28 is biased toward the left by a pair of coil springs 39 interposed between collars on sleeves' ifi which are stationarily mounted on tie rods 45 and a pair of blocks 42 mounted on sliding rods 35 and slidably engaging sleeves 48 (Fig. 1).

From the drawings, it will be seen that as dies II) and I3 are moved in unison to the right by cams I9 from the position shown in Fig. 2, blank I2 is first engaged by flange 26a of pressure member 26 and thereafter by rib I4 on die II), the latter being effective to draw material from the margin of said blank into recess 23 and thus emboss a peripheral groove I Ib in article I I without rupturing or unduly straining the material of the blank. During the formation of said groove, the central portion of the blank is engaged by the face of stripper I3 and pressed against knife edge 30 whereby said blank is scored to provide a line of weakness so that an opening may be made therein by digital pressure. At the termination of the scoring and embossing operation, blank I2 will be engaged by and firmly held between the faces of dies I0, I3 and die 28. the intensity of the pressure being determined by the reaction of the latter die While said dies move to the right through female die 5 to draw the remainder of the marginal portion of blank I2 from beneath member 26, 26a and into flanged relation with the central portion thereof.

In order to obtain the most satisfactory results in the formation of article I I, it is highly desirable that the embossing and/or scoring operation be completed and the blank firmly clamped between dies I3 and 28 before any substantial movement of the latter die from normal position (Fig. 2) or in other words before the drawing of flange I I 0. except that portion which forms the outer wall of groove I I b is begun. Although there should be some slight yielding movement of buffer 28 as die I0, I3 contacts blank I2, the reaction of the buffer should build up very rapidly. The initial yielding prevents a too sudden shock to the blank which is of comparatively fragile material, permitting the fibers to start flowing in the. desired direction and to enable knife 30 to make a clean cut furrow 30a in the blank without rupturing the same or destroying its impermeability. Ribs 32a and buttons 32b are embossed on the blank at substantially the same time by raised portions 32 and 32' respectively.

After the embossing and scoring are completed, the reaction by buifer die 28 should be. sufliciently decreased to permit movement of the same in response to the force applied thereto by die II), I3 but at the same time maintained sufliciently high to firmly clamp the central portion of the blank I2 between the dies and thus prevent any stretching or straining thereof during the drawing of flange IIa which might destroy the impermeability of article II particularly along theline of score 30a. The pressure required in clamping blank I2 between dies I3 and 28 may be gradually diminished during the drawing of flange I Ia. since the tendency to stretch or strain the fibers of the central portion of the blank decreases as the drawing of said flange progresses. After the completion of the flange drawing operation, the resistance of die 28 may be reduced to a very low value, thus obviating any unnecessary strain on the parts and consequent waste of energy and, in the present embodiment, minimizing the force required to be. exerted by cams 36 to impart continued movement to die 23 beyond the limit of movement of die I0, I3 to the right for a purpose to hereinafter appear.

Novel pressure regulating means are comprehended' by the present invention whereby the reaction of die 28 to the forces applied thereto and 7 hence the pressure exerted on blank I2 by die It, I3 may be controlled in a predetermined manner such as in accordance with the foregoing re quirements. Such means, in the form illustrated, comprise hydraulic mechanism including automatic means operated by movement of die 28 to control the reaction of the latter to a force exerted thereon. The hydraulic mechanism, as shown, consists of a piston assembly 43 (Figs. 2 and 3) mounted on the end of rod 33 opposite bufier die 28 and having a fluid-tight sliding engagement with a cylinder liner 44, the latter being fitted into a casting 45 which is supported by tie rods 4| (Fig. 1). Cylinder 44 has communication with a fluid reservoir or chamber 46 in said casting through a passage 4'! controlled by a valve 48 and through a second passage 49 controlled by a valve 50.

In the illustrated embodiment, valve 50 is housed in a plug 5| inserted in casting 45 between chamber 46 and cylinder 44,said plug having an opening extending laterally therethrough which constitutes a part of passage 49. The effective size of said passage is determined by the position of valve 50, which is provided with a depending guide rod 52 that engages a spring 53, the latter tending to hold said valve in position to close passage 49. Valve 58 is also provided with a stem 54 which extends upwardly through plug 5| and has an adjustable cap 55 and a lock nut 56 threaded onto the upper end thereof whereby the length of the stern may be varied for a purpose to appear hereinafter.

Valve 48 is preferably a floating valve adapted to be actuated by the differential of pressures in cylinder 44 and chamber 48, the same being adapted to be moved to closed position when the greater pressure exists in said cylinder. The interior of chamber 46 is under atmospheric pressure at all times, the same being vented to atmosphere through a refilling plug 51 threaded into the upper wall thereof. Valve 48 is held in alignment with its seat by a plurality of radially ex tending guide fins 58 which slidably engage the walls of passage 41. The opening movement of said valve is limited by an adjustable screw or stop 59 thereby permitting adjustment of the maximum flow area from chamber 46 to cylinder 44 through passage 41 and hence control of the return or left-hand movement of piston 43 and buffer die 28 as well as the initial reaction of the latter to right-hand movement, as will more fully appear hereafter.

The resistance of piston 43 and hence die 28 to movement to the right is controlled by regulating the resistance to the flow of an incompressible fluid 68, such, for example, as castor oil, from cylinder 44 into reservoir 45. Said flow resistance may be controlled by varying the area of the connecting passages 4? and 49 in relation to the speed of movement of said die and piston, the speed of die 28 during its movement to the right being determined in the illustrated embodiment by the contour and speed of rotation of cams l9 and 36.

For the purpose of varying the flow area through passage 49 and hence the pressure exerted upon blank I2 between the faces of die I8, l3 and buffer die 28, novel means are provided for controlling valve 50 in accordance with the movement of said buffer die and in the form shown such means comprise a first-class lever 68 pivotally mounted at 62 on casting 45. An adjustable screw 63 is threaded through one end of said lever and engages the upper end of valve stem 54, 55. The other end of lever 6| has a roller 64 mounted thereon which engages the surface of an adjustable cam 65 which is mounted on cross-head 34 for movement with buffer die 28. Cam member 65, as shown, is made in the form of a bell-crank pivoted at 56 on a bracket 61 secured to cross-head 34, the depending arm 68 thereof being engaged by spring 69 which tends to pivot the cam in a counterclockwise direction. The cam surface of member 85, in the form illustrated, slopes upwardly to the left so that as die 28 and hence cam 85 are moved to the right the latter is effective to pivot lever 6| in a clockwise direction whereby valve 58 is gradually moved to open position to progressively increase the flow area through passage 49 and thus progressively decrease the resistance to the movement of piston 43 and buffer 28. During the movement of piston 43 to the right, it will be noted that valve 48 is held in closed position (Fig. 2) by the liquid pressure in cylinder 44.

In order to vary the opening of valve 50 for any given position of die 28 or to vary the rate at which said valve is opened for a given speed of movement of said die, means are provided for adjusting cam member 65. Such means as shown comprise a set screw l8 which is threaded through the base of bracket 61 and engages a lock on the lower face of the horizontal arm of said cam member. A very fine adjustment of the cam may thus be made, the same being held in adjusted position by a clamp bolt H which extends through bracket 6'! and an arcuate slot 12 in the cam member. The position of valve 58 for any given position of piston 43 and die 23 may also be varied by adjusting cap 55 to alter the length of stem 54 or by adjusting set screw 63 on lever 8i. Preferably, the above described flow control means are so adjusted that valve 58 is slightly open when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2.

As pointed out above, die 23 and the parts movable therewith are returned from the position of Fig. 3 to the normal position of Fig. 2 by coil springs 39 which are compressed by blocks 42 (Fig. 1) during the right-hand movement of said die. The return or left-hand movement of die 28 is, however, controlled by earns 36, the contours of which are such as to stop said die in the position of Fig. 2 wherein the knife edges 30 are substantially flush with the surface of female die 5. The relation of cams H] to cams 36 is such that die l9, I3 is never permitted to engage buiTer die 28 but, on the other hand, such that when a blank 12 is inserted between said dies, rollers 31 will be held out of engagement with cams 36 by a few thousandths of an inch, due to the thickness of said blank. The pressure exerted on the blank as the dies move to the right is thus determined by the reaction of die 28 to movement by die I 0, [3 until flange Ha has been drawn, after which rollers 31 are again engaged by earns 36 to move die 28 away from the blank and out of transfer die i (Fig. 1).

Die members ID and I3, which are shown at the limit of their movement to the right in Fig. 1, are adapted to be withdrawn from dies 5 and T by cams IS after bufifer die 28 has been moved out of engagement with article H by cams 35. In order to insure that flanged article M will remain in transfer die 7 (Fig. 3) when dies l0 and I3 are withdrawn, die I ll is first moved to the left by cams l8 while stripper l3 is held against such movement by cam 23. As soon as article H has been thus stripped from die I8, the contour of cam 23 falls ofi so as to permit die E8 to be retracted by spring 24 into the recess in the face of die [8. After die l0, l3 has been moved to the left beyond the plane of the lower face of flange 26a, member 26 is engaged thereby (Fig. 3) and moved to the left against the pressure of spring 2'! enough to permit the insertion of a blank I2.

As heretofore pointed out, when die lIl, I3 is again moved to the right, it is desirable that there be some initial yielding by buffer 28 but that the reaction thereof should build up to a maximum very rapidly to facilitate the scoring of blank I2 by knife 30. This desirable result may be obtained by proper adjustment of valves 48 and 59, and more particularly of the former, the maximum opening of which is determined by threaded stop 59. When pressure is suddenly applied to die 28 by die Ill, I3 and hence to the liquid in cylinder 44, there is an initial escape of some of said liquid from the cylinder into reservoir 46 past valve 43. The quantity of liquid thus escaping constitutes a measure of the initial movement of die 28 and is itself measured by the adjustment of valve 48. The greater the opening of said valve, the greater will be the time required for the same to close, and the greater will be the quantity of escaping liquid. The instant that valve 48 reaches its closed position, however, the pressure in cylinder 44 and hence the reaction of die 28 to movement builds up to a maximum very rapidly, valve 50 being only slightly open at this time. In one embodiment of the invention, it has been found suitable to employ a maximum pressure or resistance by buffer 26 of from 1500 to 3500 pounds per square inch for scoring and deforming blank I2. As pointed out above, this pressure may be built up rapidly, substantially at the instant of impact, if desired. With the contour of cam 65 as shown, the reaction of die 29 tapers off gradually from maximum to a minimum which is determined by the pressure of springs 39. Cam 65 is preferably so contoured and springs 39 are of such size that the mean pressure on blank I2 after the deformation thereof is approximately 85 pounds per square inch.

A complete cycle of operation of the embodiment illustrated is as follows: Starting with the parts as seen in Fig. 2, i. e., with flange 26a resiliently held in engagement with the margin of blank I2 by spring 27 and with rib I4 of die Ill about to engage said blank, continued movement of die I0, I3 to the right by rotating cams I9 causes the material of the blank to be drawn into groove 29 byrib I4 to emboss the blank as at I I b. During the first part of the embossing operation, buffer die 28 yields slightly, depending on the adjustment of screw 59 and hence the maximum opening of valve 43. The latter closes under the influence of the increasing pressure in cylinder 14, which pressure reaches a peak substantially at the instant valve 48 reaches its closed position, and since valve 59 is also slightly open at this time. The peak pressure and hence the maximum reaction of buffer 28 is preferably reached at the instant the face of stripper I3 engages blank I2 and presses the same ,against scoring knife 39. The fibers of the blank will under these conditions be cleanly sheared to form a furrow 39a, and deformations 32d and 32b will be impressed 'in the blank by members 32 and 32' respectively. The central portion of blank I2 will then be firmly gripped between dies I3 and 28, but the pressure exerted thereon by said dies, as the same continue to be moved to the right to draw the margin of blank I2 into female die 5 and thus form flange Ila, gradually decreases,

due to the opening of valve 50 by lever SI and cam 65 which moves with die 28. After flange IIa has been drawn, and preferably after article II has been moved to the position shown in Fig. 1, rollers 31 are engaged by earns 36, whereby die 28 is moved away from the article and clear of turret 8. Thereafter, cams I9 are effective to withdraw die I while die I3 is held by cam 23 to serve as means for stripping article II from die Iii. When die I 9, I3 has been completely withdrawn from female dies and I by cams I9, turret 9 may be rotated by any suitable means (not shown) to bring another opening I into registry with female die 5. Further rotation of cams 36 then permits springs 39 to move buffer 28 back to the position of Fig. 2, during which movement a suction is created in cylinder 44, causing valve 48 to open and permit fluid 60 to flow freely from chamber 46 into said cylinder. A new blank I2 may now be inserted beneath die II I3 (Fig. 2) and the cycle repeated.

There is thus provided novel apparatus for embossing, drawing and/or scoring materials which apparatus embodies novel pressure control means for varying the pressure exerted on an article in a predetermined manner. Although only a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be expressly understood that the same is not limited thereto but that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the surface of cam 65 may have any desired contour for the purpose of varying the reaction of buffer 28 in any desired manner. Various other changes may also be made in the design and arrangement of parts illustrated. Reference will be had primarily to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus of the class described, a movable member, cam means for moving said member in one direction at a predetermined rate, automatic means for varying the resistance of said member to movement comprising a fluid chamber, said chamber being at least partially filled with an incompressible fluid, an element operatively connected to said movable member and effective to vary the volume of said fluid chamber, valve means for controlling the egress of fluid from said chamber and means controlled by movement of said movable member for actuating said valve, resilient means for moving said member in the opposite direction, and cam means for controlling the movement of said member by said resilient means.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a die member, cam means for moving the same in one direction, a buffer die adapted to yieldingly resist movement of said member in said direction, means for varying the resistance of said buffer die, said last-named-means being operative in accordance with the movement of the buffer die, resilient means for moving said buffer die in'the 'opposite direction, and cam means for controlling the movement of said buffer die by said resilient means.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a die,

cam means for moving said die, a bufier die adapted to yieldingly resist movement of said first-named die in one direction, said dies having complementary deformations in the faces thereof for deforming an article placed therebetween, means controlled by movement of said buffer die and including cam means for gradually decreasing the resistance thereof to movement whereby the pressure exerted on said article is varied, resilient means for moving said buffer die in the opposite direction, and cam means for controlling the movement of said bufier die by said resilient means.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a pair of reciprocable members having complementary deformations in the faces thereof capable of deforming an article placed therebetween, cam means for moving said members in one direction, means for variably resisting movement thereof to cause the same to first exert an increasing pressure and then a decreasing pressure on said article, resilent means for moving one of said members in the opposite direction, and

additional cam means for controlling the movement of said last-named member by said resilient means.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a movable member, cam means for reciprocating said member, an element for yieldingly resisting movement of said member in one direction, means for varying the resistance offered by said element, said last-named means being operable in accordance with the movement of said element, resilient means for moving said element in the other direction, and cam means for controlling the movement of said element by said resilient means.

GEORGE ARLINGTON MOORE. 

